Zambia2019 Economic Complexity: -0.63, Rank 111 of 157
2019 Product Exports | Imports: $10.1B | $7.33B, 90 of 225 | 115 of 225
2019 Per Capita Product Exports | Imports: $564 | $410, 147 of 219 | 182 of 219
2017 Service Exports | Imports : $855M | $574M, 111 of 139 | 115 of 139
Overview: In 2019 Zambia was the number 109 economy in the world in terms of GDP (current US$), the number 90 in total exports, the number 115 in total imports, the number 158 economy in terms of GDP per capita (current US$) and the number 111 most complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI).
Exports: The top exports of Zambia are Raw Copper ($5.37B), Refined Copper ($1.92B), Gold ($278M), Precious Stones ($260M), and Sulfuric Acid ($149M), exporting mostly to Switzerland ($2.89B), China ($1.6B), Namibia ($1.21B), Democratic Republic of the Congo ($901M), and Singapore ($531M).
In 2019, Zambia was the world's biggest exporter of Raw Copper ($5.37B)
Imports: The top imports of Zambia are Refined Petroleum ($648M), Crude Petroleum ($443M), Delivery Trucks ($188M), Gold ($171M), and Nitrogenous Fertilizers ($163M), importing mostly from South Africa ($2.14B), China ($1.02B), United Arab Emirates ($853M), India ($335M), and Namibia ($230M).
Location: Zambia borders Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe by land.
Top Export (2019): Raw Copper, $5.37B
Top Destination (2019): Switzerland, $2.89B
In 2019, Zambia exported a total of $10.1B, making it the number 90 exporter in the world. During the last five reported years the exports of Zambia have changed by -$2.89B from $13B in 2014 to $10.1B in 2019.
The most recent exports are led by Raw Copper ($5.37B), Refined Copper ($1.92B), Gold ($278M), Precious Stones ($260M), and Sulfuric Acid ($149M). The most common destination for the exports of Zambia are Switzerland ($2.89B), China ($1.6B), Namibia ($1.21B), Democratic Republic of the Congo ($901M), and Singapore ($531M).
Top Import (2019): Refined Petroleum, $648M
Top Origin (2019): South Africa, $2.14B
In 2019 Zambia imported $7.33B, making it the number 115 trade destination in the world. During the last five reported years the imports of Zambia changed by -$2.16B from $9.49B in 2014 to $7.33B in 2019.
The most recent imports of Zambia are led by Refined Petroleum ($648M), Crude Petroleum ($443M), Delivery Trucks ($188M), Gold ($171M), and Nitrogenous Fertilizers ($163M). The most common import partners for Zambia are South Africa ($2.14B), China ($1.02B), United Arab Emirates ($853M), India ($335M), and Namibia ($230M).
Fastest Growing Export Markets (2018 - 2019)
Fastest Growing Import Markets (2018 - 2019)
Zambia Exports Services (2017): $855M
Zambia Imports Services (2017): $574M
In 2017, Zambia exported $855M worth of services. The top services exported by Zambia in 2017 were Business travel ($370M), Personal travel ($283M), Reinsurance ($75.4M), Transportation ($48.8M), and Telecommunications services ($37M).
The top services imported by Zambia in 2017 were Business travel ($156M), Reinsurance ($79.6M), Personal travel ($67M), Government services, n.i.e. ($58.2M), and Miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services ($56.9M).
The top product import tariffs by their MFN Ad Valorem value for Zambia are Articles of agglomerated cork (40%) and Bedroom furniture, wooden, nes (40%).
Click any of the products in the bar chart to see the specific Ad Valorem Duty Rates by partner country.
*The tariffs applied to imports for Zambia are:
During the last 20 years Zambia's economy has become relatively less complex, moving from the 82nd to the 111th position in the ECI rank.
These economic complexity rankings use 6 digit exports classified according to the HS96 classification. We consider only countries with population of at least 1 million and exports of at least $1 billion, and products with world trade over $500 million. To explore different rankings and vary these parameters visit the custom rankings section.
Zambia has a high level of specialization in Raw Copper (842), Sulfuric Acid (174), Quicklime (93.8), Refined Copper (56.6), and Precious Stones (53.8). Specialization is measured using RCA, an index that takes the ratio between Zambia observed and expected exports in each product.
The highest complexity exports of Zambia according to the product complexity index (PCI) are Articles of stone or other mineral substances, nes (1.08), Organo-sulphur compounds (0.91), Derricks, cranes, straddle carriers, crane trucks (0.3), Copper plates, sheets and strips, thickness > 0.15mm (0.27), and Machines to clean, sort, mill seed, grain, dry legumes (0.24). PCI measures the knowledge intensity of a product by considering the knowledge intensity of its exporters.
The top export opportunities for Zambia according to the relatedness index, are Tin Ores (0.13), Crude Petroleum (0.13), Other Oily Seeds (0.12), Niobium, Tantalum, Vanadium and Zirconium Ore (0.12), and Tropical Fruits (0.12). Relatedness measures the distance between a country's current exports and each product. The barchart show only products that Zambia is not specialized in.
The product space is a network connecting products that are likely to be co-exported. The product space can be used to predict future exports, since countries are more likely to start exporting products that are related to current exports. Relatedness measures the distance between a product, and all of the products it is currently specialized in.
The Complexity-Relatedness diagram compares the risk and the strategic value of a country's potential export oppotunities. Relatedness is a predictive of the probability that a country increases its exports in a product. Complexity, is associated with higher levels of income, economic growth, less income inequality, and lower emissions.
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